This invention relates to a thermal transfer printer which is suitable for use with a word processor, a typewriter and so on.
A thermal transfer printer is conventionally provided with a thermal transfer ribbon carrying a layer of reversible, thermally fusible ink is put between record paper and a thermal head. The thermal head generates heat which melts ink on the thermal transfer ribbon to effect transfer recording of characters, marks and the like on the record paper.
In recent years, thermal transfer printers of this type have been widely used as output devices for business machines, and they are being applied, for example, to word processors, electronic typewriters and so on. Such word processors and typewriters are required to have a function to correct characters, makrs and the like recorded in error on record paper. However, in conventional thermal transfer printers, it is difficult to delete or erase characters, marks and the like once printed in error on record paper by transfer of ink. Accordingly, in case of printing in error, either a symbol printed in error must be corrected by hand writing or the record paper must be replaced. This may often cause trouble in that a corrected portion is soiled or will lead to a problem in that correcting operations are troublesome.